A Strange Encounter

This is an essay from 8th grade that I wrote. I hope you like it!

"Speech"-Cherokee language
"Speech"-English language

~Boom~- Sound

"Ugh." I said, waking up. I should probably tell you who I am; my name is Atohi, I am 17 years old and I am an Aniyunwiya or a "Cherokee indian" as the white men call us which I learned later. I am the son of one of the hunters in my tribe. I am just waking up in my house which is nice and homey to me, it has my bed, a wooden table and chairs I carved myself, and a small cabinet containing my clothes and on it a small carving of a wolf.

As I put on my breechcloths and leggings, I look around at the interior, noting that someone was knocking on my door, I got up and went to the door to find my father."Be careful out there today son, I have heard from some of the others that there are white men near here." He said. I told him "Don't worry, I'll be taking Waya with me on the hunt today dad." As he leaves I think to myself what should I eat?

After awhile I left my house, picking up my bow and some arrows, and looked around. My house is not far from the village, but it is secluded. It is built in a clearing and a small stream behind it. As I left I took a couple berries and ate them on the way to the village. When I got there I went to my friend; Waya's house and knocked on the door. He opened the door and I said "You ready to go hunting?". "Yep." He said grabbing his bow. With that him and me walked to the edge of the village to go hunting.

After a while me and Waya were deep in the forest and it was around midday. For a while me and Waya had hunted and killed a deer. While we were heading back to the village Waya stopped me and said "Atohi, there is a white man ahead and he has a wound on his chest near his heart." I then said "Let's follow him to see if he is a threat to the village."

While we followed him he said something in his language that I couldn't understand but later learned was him saying "I'm lost, injured, and I don't have any food." I then accidentally stepped on a twig which made a large ~Crack!~. "Darn it." I said. The man looked up and took out a knife saying "Who's there?" The man said. "Waya get behind him and if he tries to attack me, knock him out." "I can understand you, you know" the man said in our own language which shocked me. "How can you can speak our language!" I asked angrily. The man held up his arms saying "An Indian on Roanoke taught some of us how to speak your language so that we would be ok because he liked the colony."

"What was his name?" I asked, already having an idea who. "His name was Adahy." "I knew it." I muttered. He looked at me questionably. "I grew up with him before he left our village and went to live on Roanoke." I said. He then said "Well now that that's out of the way, my names Sam, what's yours." The newly dubbed Sam asked. "My name is Atohi and the silent one beside me is-" "Waya." Waya said, interrupting me. "Ok well now that introductions are out of the way let's bring you to our village so you can get healed." I said. "Are you sure he can be trusted Atohi?" Waya asked. "If Adahy trusts him enough to teach him our language I do to." I responded. "Ok thank you Atohi." Said Sam.

A while later we were almost to the village, walking through a clearing, when a pack of wolves surrounded us growling. I could tell that they were so hungry that they were desperate. Me and Waya took out our hunting knives and Sam took out what I think is a "gun". The wolves then pounce one getting shot by Sam in the head. The rest went for () and me. While Waya and Sam were fighting together, I was doing it alone.

While we were fighting the wolves I heard Sam say "Darn it, no ammo." He then dropped his gun and took out a knife. I was facing one of the last ones in front of me, I never heard one sneak up behind me until Sam called out "Atohi! Look out!" I then turned around just in time to see Sam jump at the wolf and stab it in the side. It must have hurt his wound, because he dropped the knife and fell to the ground with a yell. I quickly ran over to him while () took out his bow and shot the wolf. "Sam are you ok?!" I asked, scared that because of my failure to notice the wolf a man would get hurt. "Yes, just a little sore." He answered. "Thank you for saving my life, friend." I said. "Your welcome, friend." He said smiling.

When we finally got back to the village it was past sundown. I went into the council house while Waya took Sam back to my house. I asked a guard to see the chief of our tribe, Sequoyah. He said alright and brought me in."What is it you have to say Atohi?" Sequoyah asked. I told him what happened today, then I asked "Can he be healed by one of us?" "Yes, he has saved one of us so we will help him. If he treats us as equals he may stay." Sequoyah said. "Thank you, my chief." I said.

I then left the council house and walked to my home. As I opened the door I heard Sam ask "What did the chief say?" while laying on a temporary bed. "He said as long as you treat us as equals we will help you heal and you may be able to stay." I replied happily. "Thanks Atohi, this day has been one of the strangest of my life" he said. I then got on my bed and said "Good night Sam." "You too Atohi."

I would look back at that day many years later, the day my life changed forever. Sam healed and decided to live here with us as my friend. After he healed I helped him build his own house next to mine and then trained him to hunt like me. He eventually learned and we became close friends, if someone were to have told my that same day before I met him I would've called you crazy. But now I'm glad I met him, if not to find another friend then Waya, then to learn more about the white man who I now call friend.